The 2012 Judges

Frank Baroudi
Puro Uno
Mendoza, Argentina

Frank is an American, born in California, who was drawn to Argentina by the remarkable potential for winegrowing and winemaking in the foothills of the Andes near Mendoza, Argentina. His top Malbec was recently voted Best Malbec in the World at a competition in Cahors, France, the historical birthplace of the Malbec grape. He also makes eclectic blends that are non-traditional for the Mendoza region. Frank will be making his first appearance as a judge at Winemaker Challenge.

Robert Bracey
Bracey Vineyards
California & France

Robert Bracey has taken the wine competition by storm with prestigous awards (a double gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and a Best of Show Red Wine award at the Sommelier Challenge) with wines made from grapes sourced from some of northern California's finest vineyards. Bracey specializes in California Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Zinfandel, but will also soon have an AOC Bordeaux rouge and a red Burgundy from the Cotes de Beaune to his credit, as well.

Thrace Bromberger
Gustavo Thrace & Toolbox Wine Company

Thrace is a veteran Napa Valley vintner and partner in the Gustavo Thrace winery, which is renowned for its hand-crafted wines. She recently launched a new brand, Toolbox Wine Company, that is taking great advantage of the red-hot market for wines under $20. Thrace has judged with us in Monterey and at the San Diego International Wine Competition, but this is her first appearance at Winemaker Challenge.

Amy Butler
Ranchero Cellars
Paso Robles, California

Amy is a specialist in the Rhone grape varieties that are so successful and popular in California's Central Coast, particularly the Paso Robles region. Amy first caught our attention as the winemaker for Edward Sellers in Paso, and she judged at our debut Winemaker Challenge in 2010. Amy now makes winery under her own brand, Ranchero Cellars.

Lise Ciolino
Montemaggiore
Dry Creek Valley, California

Lise is winemaker/owner of a small family owned and run winery in the Dry Creek Valley specializing in hand-crafted Mediterranean varietal wines. She is making her debut as a judge at Winemaker Challenge III.

Morgan Clendenen
Cold Heaven Cellars
Santa Barbara County, California

Morgan got our attention with her commitment to well-balanced wines that exhibit structure, elegance and backbone. She makes food friendly wines with good levels of acidity, without sacrificing flavor or complexity. Morgan represents the rugged individualism of the Santa Barbara County winemaking culture and promises to be a great addition to our team of judges at Winemaker Challenge II.

 
Jac Cole
Spring Mountain Vineyards
Napa Valley, California

Jac is the maestro at one of the Napa Valley's most historically significant wineries, high atop Spring Mountain overlooking St. Helena and the entire Napa Valley. Jac's specialty is cabernet sauvignon and bordeaux blends, but he also makes a killer syrah. Previously he helped turn around quality at Charles Krug, where he earned a reputation for outstanding merlot.

Ken Deis
Winemaking Consultant
Napa Valley, California

Ken is a veteran Napa Valley winemaker with a long string of exceptional vintages to his credit. That's because he spent more than a quarter-century at Flora Springs, where he made outstanding Bordeaux-style blends (Trilogy) as well as top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Ken now has his own winemaking consulting business and recently judged for us at the 2011 San Diego International Wine Competition.

Gary Eberle
Eberle Winery
Paso Robles, California

He is quite simply the Godfather of Paso Robles wine. Gary was the genius who introduced syrah to Paso while making wine at the family winery, Estrella River, in the early 1970s. Since starting his own winery more than 25 years ago he's introduced viognier and a red rhone blend, too. But it's the Paso cabernet that nearly brings a tear to the big man's eye. Gary believes passionately that cabernet sauvignon from Paso Robles is as good as any being made. Visit the winery sometime and talk him out of a bottle of one of the older Eberle Estate cabs and, we promise you, the case will be closed! 

Joe Hart
Hart Winery
Temecula, California

Joe has been making wine in Temecula close to 30 years now and he's a distinguished veteran of the California wine competition circuit. Joe is best known for his Syrah, but he's really a man for all seasons, so you never know what you might find in those barrels when you visit his small Temecula winery.

Vernon Kindred
Fallbrook Winery
Fallbrook, California

Vernon and his sidekick Duncan Williams are slowly and quietly putting the Fallbrook Winery on the map with estate-grown wines that may well be the finest in Southern California. Their Bordeaux blend, BDX, was voted top Bordeaux blend at the 2011 Winemaker Challenge, and their Sauvignon Blanc has been a consistent medal-winner at all of the Challenge competitions.

 
Adam LaZarre
Villa San-Juliette
Paso Robles, California

No California winemaker has done more in the arena of value over the past decade than Adam. He was on board when Monterey County's Hahn Estates affected a huge turnaround, making superb red and white wines in the $12 to $18 price range. Wines so good that they often took Best of Show awards at top wine competitions throughout the state, including the highest honors in Los Angeles, San Diego and Monterey. Adam has moved on to Villa San-Juliette in Paso Robles, where he's making a dynamite merlot and a killer red Bordeaux blend, among other things. Adam is now consulting on a white wine project in Spain's Rueda district -- in his spare time. He also makes wine under his own label, LaZarre.

Jason Ledbetter
Pine Ridge Winery
Stag's Leap District, California

Jason, Michael Beaulac's top assistant at Pine Ridge, will be making his debut as a judge at Winemaker Challenge. Jason and Michael are renowned for crafting some of the Napa Valley's finest Cabernet Sauvignons and red blends.

Maureen Martin
Clos du Bois Winery
Geyserville, California

Maureen is a 20-year veteran of the Sonoma County wine industry, the first 10 years at Chateau Souverain and the past 10 at Clos du Bois, where Chardonnay and Merlot are king! This will be Maureen's first Winemaker Challenge.

Marcus Notaro
Col Solare
Columbia Valley, Washington

Marcus has been involved in winemaking in the Columbia Valley since 1995 and is currently winemaker at one of the most exciting properties in the Pacific Northwest -- Col Solare, the joing venture between Piero Antinori and Chateau Ste. Michelle. Marcus' most recent Col Solare, the 2007 vintage, earned a Platinum award at the 2011 Sommelier Challenge.

Andy Reagan
Jefferson Vineyards
Monticello, Virginia

We've been bound and determined to get Andy out from the East Coast to judge at Winemaker Challenge, and now we've done it. We wanted Andy because we've been so impressed with his wines, which are grown and produced within a mile or two of the site of the original Thomas Jefferson vineyard at the Jefferson estate in Monticello, just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. Andy makes a wonderful Meritage, a gorgeous Petit Verdot, and some of the finest Viognier this side of Condrieu.

Steve Rogstad
Cuvaison Winery
Napa Valley, California

Steve is one of the most accomplished, and traveled, winemakers in the Napa Valley. Although he's been holding forth at Cuvaison for nearly a decade, his previous stops included Clos Pegase, Saintsbury and Rombauer, plus a stint in France. His wines are always well balanced and pure, and we love them. This is Steve's second appearance as a judge at Winemaker Challenge.

Roman Roth
Wolffer Estate
The Hamptons
Long Island, New York

Roman is winemaker at one of New York's cutting edge wineries, the Wolffer Estate, located on the eastern end of Long Island in the Hamptons. He has been the steady hand behind Wolffer's prowess with Merlot, making some of the finest Merlot the East Coast has to offer, as well as stylish Chardonnay, Riesling and Cabernet Franc. Roman also produces wines under his own label, Grapes of Roth, and has judged at the San Diego International Wine Competition for the past several years.

Mike Richmond
Bouchaine Vineyards
Carneros, California

Mike was among the first to pioneer Pinot Noir in California when he was involved with the startup of Acacia Vineyards in the Carneros District of the Napa Valley a quarter-century ago. He's now at Bouchaine and making some of the most delicious and well-balanced Pinots and Chardonnays in all of California. This will be Mike's third appearance as a judge at Winemaker Challenge.

David Stevens
Davon International
Napa Valley, California

David is an tnternational winemaking consultant who trots the globe helping make better wine. In another life he was winemaker at Napa's Bouchaine Vineyards, and before that worked closely with Dawnine Dyer as a winemaker at the Napa sparkling wine producer Domaine Chandon. He also worked in the cellars at the prestigous Freemark Anney winery in St. Helena. Dave is a regular at the annual Monterey and San Diego international wine competitions, where he frequently heads up the sparkling wine panel. 

Duncan Williams
Fallbrook Winery
South Coast, California

Duncan is a member of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture.  He started his winemaking career in the 1980's in California's Sierra Foothills at Montevina Winery, and then Shenandoah Vineyards. He has come into his own at Fallbrook Winery, where he has been making award-winning wines for the past decade.

Judges' Concierges